Oregon’s Kelly questions validity of marijuana report

Oregon Ducks coach Chip Kelly said he believes a media report estimating that between 40 percent and 60 percent of his players use marijuana is inaccurate.

Kelly addressed the story in ESPN The Magazine on Thursday after practice. The report is based on interviews with 19 current or former Oregon players and officials, and it accompanies a larger piece that looks at marijuana use among college football players nationwide.

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Kelly said he doubts the Ducks would be as successful as they have been over the past few years if that many players were smoking marijuana.

“If we had that many kids doing it, we wouldn’t be 34-6 (for the past three seasons),” Kelly said. “We win because of how hard we practice, and I see our kids every day in practice. If we saw signs of it — I haven’t seen signs of it.”

Penn State pays millions to Paterno’s estate

Penn State said it provided Joe Paterno’s estate with more than $5.5 million in payments and benefits to settle his employment contract. A breakdown provided by the school included: a career bonus of $3 million; an annual bonus of $425,000; the use by Paterno’s family of a Beaver Stadium suite for 25 years, valued at $1.5 million; and $900,000 from television and radio revenue from last season.

College basketball

Larry Brown to coach SMU

DALLAS — Larry Brown, the 71-year-old Hall of Fame coach, was hired to lead the men’s team at Southern Methodist. It is his first college job in nearly a quarter century, and comes with a struggling program that is headed to the Big East after next season.

SMU hasn’t won an NCAA tournament game since 1988, the year Brown led Kansas to the national championship in his last season as a college coach.

Golf

Every fires course-record 63

Matt Every shot a course-record 9-under-par 63 to take a three-stroke lead over Hunter Haas after the first round of the Texas Open in San Antonio.

Every, who has never finished higher than third on the PGA Tour, had nine birdies in a bogey-free round. It was a career best on the notoriously unforgiving TPC San Antonio course.

Ben Curtis opened with a 67, and Fredrik Jacobson, Cameron Beckman, Jason Gore, Troy Matteson and Derek Lamely shot 68. Matt Kuchar bogeyed his final hole for a 70.

Ryan Moore of Puyallup shot a 72. Former Husky Troy Kelly had a 75. Former Husky Richard H. Lee shot a 77, as did Michael Putnam from University Place. Kirk Triplett, a graduate of Pullman High School, had an 82.

In another men’s tournament, defending champion Lee Westwood of England shot a 7-under 65 to take a two-shot lead after the first round of the Indonesian Masters in Jakarta.

Munoz, Miyazato share lead

Spain’s Azahara Munoz shot an 8-under 64 in blustery conditions for a share of the second-round lead with Japan’s Ai Miyazato in the LPGA LOTTE Championship in Kapolei, Hawaii.

Munoz, winless on the LPGA Tour, holed out from 102 yards for eagle on the par-4 sixth hole and had eight birdies — four on the last five holes — and a bogey on the Ko Olina course. Miyazato, a seven-time winner on the tour, had a bogey-free 65 to match Munoz at 8 under.

Jimin Kang, a graduate of King’s High School in Shoreline, and Cristie Kerr were 6 under. Kang had a 66 and Kerr a 68.

Missing the cut were Wendy Ward (71), who lives near Edwall, outside Spokane, and former Husky Paige Mackenzie (74).

Tennis

Grieving Djokovic wins

Novak Djokovic played just hours after learning about the death of his grandfather and defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the Monte Carlo Masters quarterfinals in Monaco.

Baylor standout Brittney Griner will not play for the U.S. women’s basketball team at the London Olympics this summer.

The 6-foot-8 Griner, who was considered a candidate for the 12th and final roster spot on the national team, citied an unspecified family illness and her summer-school schedule when she said she would not be able to play.

Elsewhere

• The New York Red Bulls defender Rafa Marquez was suspended for three games and San Jose Earthquakes midfielder Marvin Chavez for one game for separate actions in Saturday’s match.

• Former Columbus Crew standout Frankie Hejduk announced his retirement and accepted a spot in the club’s front office.